Top Five Lists
Okay, well, after perusing the lovely Kate Silver's blog today, and seeing how very likable and easy-to-read those "personal" blogs can be, I was a little moved. Especially by the lists of what music she's listening to right now. So, I decided to try it myself, and offer up to you, dear reader, the five "most unexpected" albums of the recent past. For example:
"Most disappointing album after a logical dose of High Expectations":
- De La Soul, Art Official Intelligence Vol. 2: Bionix
This album inspired me about as much as an episode of Gilligan's Island. It sounds bored with itself. De La had found an amazing path to maturity on AOI Vol. 1, and so to hear the follow-up be essentially the same thing- in other words, the guys got lazy- was a bummer. Especially from one of the best groups around.
There's 4 more...
"Most surprising album I didn't want to love but did":
- The Postal Service, Give Up
Whoo-ee. I really wanted to hate this. I mean, hate it like I hate the guy's other band, Death Cab for Cutie. Passionate hate. Vitriolic hate. Imagine my surprise when all that pappy crap he was whining about in his emo band sounded really good once you lost all the instruments and just threw some drum machines behind it. I'm embarrassed to say that this album, with its godawful cheesy lyrics and shameless pandering, has moved me like few albums in recent memory. Take that, Planetarium's street cred. If you'd like, you may purchase it here.
"Best attempt to make a rock record that sounds good in this day and age":
- Idlewild, The Remote Part
Okay, first of all, they toured with Pearljam. Second, they're Scottish. Third, they try to be arty. I know, it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but this is one of the only straightforward, wall-of-guitars, midtempo, melodic and hummable "rock" albums I've wanted to listen to for quite some time. In fact, stop wasting time- go buy it. Or it's predecessor, 100 Broken Windows. But not the 1st record. It sucks.
"Most unexpected attempt to not totally suck as an artist"
- Missy Elliott, Under Construction
You heard me- Missy actually came through in a pinch. Why doesn't this make me want to scream like so many other things she's done? I mean, the woman is responsible for half of Mariah Carey's ouevre. She's got a pretty solid losing streak to go by. Trying to sell an album by her isn't exactly a blue-chip stock pick. It's more like trying to sell explosive diarrhea. So who knew? I do now. This is great- go get it.
"Most desirable forthcoming record that you just KNOW is going to rule"
- Superchunk, Cup of Sand
Fact: Nothing they've ever done has been bad. Fact: They're one of the better live bands you'll ever see. Fact: This is a collection of b-sides. Fact: Superchunk's b-sides are better than anything you've ever done in your entire life. Fact: This doesn't mean you're worthless- you can still create meaning for yourself by buying this album.
Comments
Note to self: change post about hangover. I'm a compulsive list-maker, like pretty much every music geek out there. I wasn't thrilled with the Postal Service record at first, but I really REALLY like the single "Such Great Heights". I should give that one another listen. The Missy record is part of my rediscovery of Hip-Hop, along with Run DMC's "Raising Hell". Wonderful.
Posted by: Kate | September 4, 2003 03:51 PM
yes, you are a music geek, but unlike many other music geeks who also happen to be writers, you DON'T (as of yet anyway- just teasing) pepper your writings with an overblown and pretentious amount of musical and literary references; you don't spend half your time masturbating with a keyboard about your own ideas that pop into your head with little or no actual assocation with the music; and you are self-deprecating without making it self-referentially important to note that you're being humble. Please, please, PLEASE don't let the Village Voice spoil your wonderful writing- they have so many fucking terrible music critics, it's appalling.
Posted by: Alex | September 4, 2003 05:18 PM